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Interview with Terry R Barca

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

That's easy. I don't have a choice.......I have to write! If too much time goes by without putting pen to paper, I feel 'twitchy'. Apart from that, I must say that I enjoy the reaction of my readers. 'SCHOOME' was my first published book and it was a labour of love. It was not only a retelling of our adventure, it was the book we wished we had read before we started our adventure.As for my fiction writing: I love to get get feedback from my readers. It is hard to write everyday without the knowledge that people are going to read and enjoy what you write.

What do your fans mean to you?

In my world 'fans' are people who like the way I write, and they keep coming back for more........ so they means a lot..... no fans [readers], no reason to write. God bless them one and all!

What are you working on next?

Every week I 'publish' two new stories on my blog [that's a lot of pressure but I find it keeps me focused]. 3 days a week I work on my current novel [number three..... number two is on hold] and one day a week I work on a biography. The biography is about a remarkable local person who is living an equally remarkable life..... This project is getting close to completion. The novel I'm working on is a further adventure for my two favourite characters 'Sam and Scarlett Bennett'. You first came across them in 'The Long Weekend'. The current novel has the working title of 'Remember'. It should be ready by the end of 2014..... with a bit of luck. I have a collection of short stories which should go live at about the same time....... now, aren't you sorry that you asked?

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

Who says I do? That answer is not as cheeky as you might think, because one of my favourite places to write is sitting up in bed. I usually have to fight for working space with our two dogs, but we work it out. Most days, I find that my head is full of writing ideas and I cannot wait to get started......... then there are other days!

When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?

Walking the dogs, watching old movies or good television series. Drinking coffee. Sitting in front of the open fire. Driving my very beautiful, very old car. Catching up with the few friends who are still talking to me. And, of course, reading.

How do you discover the ebooks you read?

I subscribe to various book shop mailing lists. Sometimes, because I do the occasional review, people send them to me. Various people on WordPress do reviews and I subscribe to these people.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?

Probably not, but I do remember the first story I completed, that was published. "The Day I met Chester"............ it's a bit clunky but I still like it and I have resisted the urge to rewrite it........ Chester was a dog, in case you were wondering, and the main character 'liberates' Chester and a bunch of other dogs from a research lab. Chester returns the favour by saving the main character.......... it's a rollicking good time all round.

What is your writing process?

I have different processes for different projects.Short stories: I collect interesting photos, illustrations and paintings and I write whatever they suggest to me. About 90% of my stories come this way.Novels and Novellas are different. I imagine certain characters going through certain things and I try and find out what it is that they want.Biography is different again....... I take notes and use them to try and create an accurate portrayal of the person. I did a bit of work for our local newspaper, interviewing people, and this experience helped me a great deal.I write every day. I find this to be important. I do have a writing room but generally I write in bed or in a variety of cafes.

Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?

No, but importantly, I remember being read to as a child and I remember the effect that books had on me. I was an only child so I had to make my own fun a lot of the time. A good book is an excellent cure for loneliness.

How do you approach cover design?

The cover has to give the read a hint as to the style of the book. Maybe a few clues as well. And my name needs to be in LARGE print!

What do you read for pleasure?

I'm hard to please. If I make it past the first chapter and I don't have an overwhelming urge to put the book down, I keep going. I love books about people......... that sounds a bit dumb, but I think you know what I mean.

What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?

Word of mouth.

Describe your desk

I don't sit there very often but it is an old, and I mean old, Victorian square table with the usual bits and pieces on it. I have an amazing view, which is funny because I rarely look up when I'm working. I always have a pad and two Blackwing 602 pencils close by.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in a house with a mum who read all the time. She read to me and she made books fun. When she died, the local library told me that they had lost their biggest customer. She was 87 and had poor eyesight. She used to read my stories when I was a kid but she did not live long enough to see me become a published author.

Published 2014-06-25.

Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author, publisher or reader.

More than two years in the making. The sequel to KEEPER OF SECRETS. The continuing adventures of Daisy and her granddaughter Susan. Daisy's diaries inspire Susan to lead a secret life of adventure. Money, danger and a sense of freedom drive Susan. Daisy became a spy because her country needed her -- Susan steals secrets because she wants to.

You may want to judge me — find me wanting, but I need love just like you do. I’m a woman of means but money does not guarantee that the heart is satisfied and there is no happiness unless the heart is full.

Wendi Radin wants to know how famous husband died and she believes that a newspaper columnist can find the truth. William Fox has a past marked by one shining moment - he’s the one who found those kids when no one else could.

Blurb for DOT, DOT, DOT …
'DOT, DOT, DOT … erotic encounters', includes two novellas — READ ALL ABOUT IT and UNEXPECTED, plus eleven short stories (including a line of stories about the characters Sam and Scarlett).
Real people have real love lives — no holds barred. Intimate and explicit. Erotic and revealing. Genuine encounters.

Mystery and adventure won't leave Sam alone. He tried to retire -- his Scarlett needs him, but we don't always get what we want -- sometimes we get what we need, but with a bit of luck, we never get what we deserve.

Susan, a bereaved daughter, stumbles upon her grandmother’s journals. Stories, hidden from the family, of adventures, spies, a mysterious discarded toy, lost loves and revenge flash before her eyes sparking a desire to escape her ordinary life.

Rufus is an observer of life, his own, quadruped and human. He loves his life and he knows his place in the world. From solving a murder to confronting a crab, from time with good friends to saving a life, Rufus is the kind of person you would like to spend some time with.

To celebrate the upcoming release of Book 3 in this series of anthologies (Red Wheelbarrow), I am offering this box set of Book 1 (Loyal and True) and Book 2 (Passerby) at a greatly reduced price; a 38% discount.
77 stories and a total of 57,000 words.
All stories are perfect for reading on trains, trams and buses, as well as when sitting under a tree or in front of an open fire.

47 stories and no two stories are alike. Detectives, housewives, bartenders, widows, girls with record players and scientists all vie for your attention. These stories are the perfect length for reading on a train or sitting under a tree. Short stories are my strong suit and I'll keep writing them as long as you keep enjoying them.

A Medium makes a connection between the Spirit world and the Earth plane. Sounds simple, doesn't it. It isn't, but it can be intriguing. This book tells how I and my colleagues make that connection. If you have ever wondered what goes on inside the head of a Medium, then this is the book for you.

Mysteries that might just leave you wondering. You will never think about a person who works at a big hotel in the same way again. An AK47 and a banana will take on new meaning. If you ever get to stand on that bridge in Paris, at midnight, you will understand.

29 stand alone stories whizz you through conversations, collisions and convergence. Magpies battle with dermatologists, an old man forms a friendship with a grateful bird. The owner of a diner falls asleep behind the counter while a writer obsesses over a box of pencils. Terry takes you on a ride that last as long as it takes to fry and egg and at the end of each ride you will want to know more.

Melbourne’s finest old hotel, wine, whisky, cafes, restaurants, fashion, daggers, policemen, beautiful cars, and a mature couple, Sam and Scarlett, very much in love, all play their part in an adventure that unfolds over a LONG WEEKEND.